Dark Souls 3 was the deserved Ultimate Game of the Year winner at the 34th annual Golden Joystick awards, but it was Overwatch that picked up an astonishing five gongs for 2016.
The Golden Joysticks, hosted by TechRadar’s publisher Future, are a huge industry event, with votes from the public selecting the best of the best for 2016.
Dan Dawkins, Editor-In-Chief of GamesRadar+, said of the Ultimate Game of the Year winner: “Dark Souls 3 is the very deserving winner."
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The darkest winner
Dawkins continues, “On the surface, the series is most well-known for its difficulty, but it’s the impeccable combat, ingenious design and subtly-integrated, dense, lore that binds the game to our affections.
“Dark Souls 3 is unashamed in the demands it makes of the player, yet rigidly fair: weaving a dense, rewarding story, uniquely crafted for the medium.”
“Dark Souls 3 is unashamed in the demands it makes of the player, yet rigidly fair: weaving a dense, rewarding story, uniquely crafted for the medium.”
Dan Dawkins: EIC GamesRadar+
Overwatch, the multiplayer shooter from World of Warcraft creators Blizzard, picked up Best Original Game in association with The Sun, Best Multiplayer Game, PC Game of the Year Competitive Game of the Year and Best Gaming Moment in association with Absolute Radio.
The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine, picked up three awards for Best Storytelling, Best Visual Design and Doug Cockle, the voice Geralt of Rivia, the game's lead character, won Best Gaming Performance. CD Projekt Red, the production company behind the game, won Studio of the Year.
Pokémon GO grabbed Innovation of the Year and Handheld/Mobile Game of the Year in association with Digital Spy ,and the Lifetime Achievement Award was this year bestowed to Eiji Aonuma, the man behind the Zelda series.
“I am glad, honoured and really humbled to be awarded the Golden Joysticks 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Aonuma.
Full list of winners
Best Original Game in association with The Sun - Overwatch
Best Storytelling - The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine
Best Visual Design - The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine
Best Audio in association with DTS - Fallout 4
Best Indie Game in association with Kotaku UK - Firewatch
Gaming Personality of the Year in association with Guiness World Records - Sean Plott (Day (9))
Best Multiplayer Game in association with PC Gamer Weekender - Overwatch
Competitive Play of the Year in association with PC Gamer Pro - Coldzera's jumping AWP quad kill at MLG Columbus
Best Gaming Moment in association with Absolute Radio - Play of the Game in Overwatch
YouTube - Upcoming Personality of the Year - Jesse Cox
Studio of the Year in association with Edge - CD Projekt Red
Innovation of the Year - Pokémon GO
Lifetime Achievement Award - Eiji Aonuma
Best Gaming Platform - Steam
Best Gaming Performance - Doug Cockle
Competitive Game of the Year in association with PC Gamer Pro - Overwatch
Nintendo Game of the Year in association with Gamesmaster - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
Playstation Game of the Year in association with OPM - Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Xbox Game of the Year in association with OXM - Rise of the Tomb Raider
PC Game of the Year in association with PC Gamer - Overwatch
Handheld/Mobile Game of the Year in association with Digital Spy - Pokémon GO
Breakthrough Award - Eric Barone - Stardew Valley
Hall of Fame - Lara Croft
Critics Choice Award - Titanfall 2
Most Wanted Game in association with Green Man Gaming - Mass Effect Andromeda
Ultimate Game of the Year in association with GamesRadar+ - Dark Souls 3
